Have your say on Fracking the Territory
In response to concerns raised by Territorians about the impact of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) upon the environment, the Northern Territory Government established an independent Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing. The submission period is now closed. You can read more about the Inquiry here: http://www.hydraulicfracturinginquiry.nt.gov.au/public_submissions.html. Or download our submission to the Inquiry below.
Do you want the Northern Territory to be the new GASLAND?
Oil and gas companies want to explore around 90% of the Territory’s land and sea for shale gas and oil, including national parks, popular fishing areas, nearly all of Arnhem Land, aquifers in the Daly catchment and areas of high cultural significance. Methods of gas extraction such as hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”), have been vehemently opposed in the US and on the east coast of Australia. Take Action today to protect the Territory’s land, water, Indigenous cultural sites and dreaming places, food production areas, and climate shale gas and oil by signiging the online petition Fracking Moratorium To Strengthen Environmental Law by clicking the link below: http://www.communityrun.org/petitions/fracking-moratorium-to-strengthen-environmental-laws-2 You can get involved in the community campaign “Don’t Frack the Territory” by contacting NT Shale Community Gas Campaigner Emma Murphy at [email protected] or call 08 8981 198408 8981 1984. Get involved through the Don’t Frack The Territory Facebook site at https://www.facebook.com/DontFrackTheTerritory?fref=ts
Risks from shale oil and gas in the Northern Territory
• Fracking chemicals pollute aquifers and drinking water
• The massive amount of water used for fracking becomes salty, unusable ‘produce water’
• Land clearing fragments landscapes for roads, exploration and pipes
• Damage to farmland, pastoral lands, cultural sites, fishing and National Pars
• Seismic exploration and oil spills in the marine environment
• Loud underwater noise-bursts traumatise fish and marine wildlife
• Sites with special cultural significance may be damaged
• Water and air pollution pose a threat to landholders’ health
• The value of pastoral leases and farms may decrease
• The beauty of our land and sea marred by ugly gas industrialisation
• Major carbon pollution contributing to global warming from fugitive methane emissions from leaking/failed wells and cracked shale rocks
• Many more trucks on the road
• Burning the gas for electricity in Australia and abroad
• A large NT shale gas industry will prevent NT carbon pollution falling for decades, and delay transition to large-scale renewable energy production.
The community campaign so far
Don’t Frack the Territory has been growing since the Environment Centre NT hosted the first public meeting about the risks of shale gas to the Territory on 20 February 2013. The meeting in Darwin attracted over 100 people, who heard from key leaders from Territory sectors about their concerns. Many Territorians expressed their concerns at the meeting, whilst shale gas industry spokespeople also presented their views. A key outcome of the meeting was the establishment of a community shale gas campaign – Don’t Frack the Territory. The meeting also led to an increase in support for Indigenous communities across northern Arnhem Land to oppose plans by oil and gas companies to explore in Arnhem Land’s remote and ecologically intact seas and lands. Since early 2013, we have been working with Lock the Gate to support landholders, communities and businesses understand the risks and known impacts of shale gas and fracking. We’ve hosted or spoken at public meetings in the Darwin rural area, Katherine (twice), Wagat Beach, Darwin, Pine Creek, and Maningrida (twice). We supported a petition that gained well over 1,000 signatures opposing fracking and calling for a moratorium until laws were stringer, the science clear, and community engagement had occured.
• Submission to the NT Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing ECNT 20140630
• Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing NT submission proforma May2014